Agency leaders are navigating an environment marked by economic pressure, shifting client expectations, and structural change across the marketing industry.

Agency leaders describe operating in an environment where competition feels more intense and less clearly defined than in prior years.

Agencies participating in the Agency Core 2025 research frequently reference market saturation and competitive pressure when discussing their positioning.

Agency culture is not referenced as a single data point in the Agency Core 2025 Research, but it appears consistently through the challenges agency leaders describe.

Client relationships continue to be a central part of how agencies experience stability, growth, and risk.

As agencies grow, leaders often describe a shift in how work is organized, communicated, and sustained across teams.

Agency leaders participating in the Agency Core 2025 Research describe operating in an environment shaped by uncertainty, heightened expectations, and shifting market conditions.

Pricing is a core part of how agencies operate, yet it is rarely discussed in isolation. In Agency Core research, pricing appears alongside broader operational pressures, client expectations, and questions of value.

Agency leaders frequently reference the mix of strategic thinking and tactical execution when describing the work flowing into their agencies.

Agency leaders are entering 2026 with a different outlook than they reported just two years earlier.